White Water Rafting Trip

Through the Recreation Department eighteen Washington College students traveled to Ohiopyle, Pennsylvania in Somerset County to experience a weekend filled with thrills and some spills. We began our journey leaving from the Lifetime Fitness Center, for a four-hour trip to Seven Springs Mountain Resort, where we would spend two nights in condos overlooking the Seven Springs Ski Resort.

Friday night, students enjoyed the amenities of the ski resort lodge, spending time in the arcade, bowling, and enjoying some late night pizza. Beginning the day early, students listened to a presentation of what they would experience on the river that day. Once on the river we were separated into four boats: one six-person raft, two five-person rafts, and one four-person raft. It was a wild ride, and having no guide in the boat made every individual work together to get through the intense class III and IV rapids. The students were lucky that it was a beautiful day in September because everyone got wet! Every boat had a least one person swimming! After two hours on the river and several sets of rapids, the outfitters set up a nice deli lunch on the shore. Following lunch we faced the toughest rapid of the day nicknamed the Dimple Rapid. Everyone made it through unscathed and the rest of the five hour journey was a breeze.

Back at the resort we enjoyed a nice pasta dinner and some much needed rest. The students woke up on Sunday at 8:00 a.m. for a nice morning hike up the mountain. They reached the back side of the mountain enjoying the scenery from one of the many ski slopes. After the hike, everyone packed up and piled into the vans for a long ride home.